Electric-arc lamp



(No Model.)

R. M. HUNTER. ELECTRIC ARC LAMP.

No. 504,271. Patented Aug.,29, 1893.

UNITED STATES PATENT CEErcE.

RUDOLPH M. HUNTER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE THOMSON-HOUSTON ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF CONNECTICUT.

ELECTRIC-ARC LAM P.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 504.271, dated August 29, 1893.

Application filed June 9, 1893- Serial No. 77,041. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RUDOLPH M. HUNTER, of the city and county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented an In provement in Are Lamps, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has reference to are lamps, and consists of certain improvements which are fully set forth in the following specification and shown in the accompanying drawings which form a part thereof.

This application,Case No. 255, has particular reference to that class of arc lamps which are designed to operate throughout the night and I 5 sometimes termed double carbon or all night lamps. In lamps of this character it is customary to bring into successive operation two sets of carbons, the second set being consumed after the first set has been entirely 2o consumed, but at no time maintaining more than one arc.

In carrying out my invention 1 provide a feeding rod furnished with two carbon holders and combined with a single electric regu- 2 5 lator of any suitable construction designed to lntermittently feed the said rod in the ordinary way.

The base of the lamp is provided with two holders for the lower carbons, one of said holders being movable so as to move its carbon into position or alignment with respect to the second upper or movable carbon after I the first pair of carbons has been wholly consunied and the feeding rod fully raised. In

5 5 this manner one pair of carbons is completely consumed, and the upper carbon of the sec ond pair is fed down without forming an arc with the lower carbon of the second pair as the latter is arranged out of alignment with its corresponding upper carbon. hen the feeding rod and its carbon holders are fully lowered and the first pair of carbons are consumed, a trip is operated and a suitable liftingdevice such as a spring and drum and liftlng cord or chain is brought into play to elevate the lifting rod and carbon holders to their original position. When the rod is fully ra1sed,the spring is automatically thrown out of controlling connection so that the rod may again fall, but just prior to this action the movement of the lifting rod and its holders operates a trip which causes the lower carbon holder of the second pair to be shifted into alignment with its corresponding upper carbon holder, and the downward feeding of the 5 5 feed rod and its carbon causes the arc to be formed between the second pair of carbons.

It is immaterial to my invention what particular devices are employed in accomplishing the results herein described and more' clearly specified hereinafter, as the essential feature of the invention consists in a single electric regulator for two upper carbons, a lifting device for the upper carbon holders, and suitable means to bring the lower car- 6 bons into operative position with their respective upper carbons.

Referring to the drawings: Figure l is a sectional elevation of an electric lamp embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan View of the lower carbon holders. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the lifting spring and mechanism for lifting the feeding rod and holders after the first pair of carbons have been consumed; and Fig. 4. is a diagram illustrating the electrio circuits of the lamp.

A is the lifting rod and is guided in any suitable manner in the main frame of the lamp as is customary. This lifting rod is provided at the bottom with two carbon clamps or holders arranged at a distance apart and adapted to hold a pair of positive carbons 1 and 2. The lifter rod may be fed downward by any suitable electric regulator, one type of such regulator being illustrated and consisting of a lifter ring C encircling the rod, a lifting link D to operate the ring, and an electro magnetic device to operate the lifter link consisting of a coarse wire solenoid E in direct circuit with the carbons by a circuit W, and a shunt solenoid F in a shunt circuit f about the carbons, the said solenoids acting upon a movable core. Any suitable electrically controlled regulator may be employed in place of that shown.

The base of the lamp G is connected with the upper case by suitable depending rods in the usual manner. The base G is provided with a fixed carbon holder H for a carbon 3 which is the lower carbon of the first pair of Ice carbons 1 and 3. It is also provided with a grooved guide I arranged transversely and in which is guided a second carbon holder J adapted to hold the carbon 4 which is the lower carbon of the second pair of carbons 2 and a. Springs j may be employed to shift the carbon holders J inward or toward the carbon holder ll. Any suitable springs may be employed.

K is a pivoted latch for holding the carbon holder J against the action of the springsj as indicated in Fig. 1 so as to keep the carbon 4 out of alignment with the carbon 2. lVhen in this position the descent of the lifting red A and the upper carbons will cause the carbon 2 to pass down through the apertures g and h in the frame at the base of the lamp without closing an electric circuit except through the carbons l and The latch K may be operated by a rod extending to the upper part of the lamp and connected to the lever L which is adapted to be moved when the lifter rod A and its holders B are fully raised.

1 have shown the lower carbon holder ll as fixed, but it is quite evident that the carbon holders J and II might be movable as a unit, as the carbon holder 11 has no function to perform after the first pair of carbons are consumed, but I prefer to m ake the carbon holder J alone movable as there will be less power required to move it, and the lamp will be somewhat more stable in structure.

The base frame G may be provided with a downwardly extending guide M upon which a globe holder m is adjustably clamped and adaptedto carrya globe Nin the usual manner.

P is a drum arranged within the upper case and provided with a lifting cord or chain 2) connected at one end to the drum and at the other end to the holders B or feeding red A in any suitable manner. The drum Pis provided with a spur wheel 0.

Q is a second spur wheel having several of its teeth removed and adapted to mesh with the spur wheel 0 of the drum. hen this space q lacking teeth of the spur wheel Q is brought into the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the drum P and the pinion O are free to rotate to correspond to the downward feeding of the lifter red A. The spur wheel Q is made box shaped and receives a spiral spring B one end of which is connected to the spur wheel Q and the other end to a shaft upon which the spur wheel is journaled. The shaft is provided with a notched wheel 0' with which a pivoted pawl R engages. The surface of the spur wheel is also provided with the pin fadapted to engage with a spring actuated pawl T carried bythe case as shown in Fig. 3.

S is a pivoted tripping pawl adapted to hold the spur wheel Q against rotation by its spring until the feeding red A is fully lowered and its projection e at the top strikes the pawl S. A resetting finger 3 may be employed to reset the pawl S from the outside of the case.

The operation of the lamp will now be understood. The carbons having been placed in their holders and the movable lower holder J having been drawn outward and held in such position by the latch K, the spring is coiled by turning the shaft one revolution and holding it in such position by the pawl R and notched wheel r, and the pawl S having been previously set, the lamp is then in the condition indicated in Fig. 1. The current being turned on, an arc is maintained between the carbons 1 and 3, and as these carbons are consumed, the feeding rod A descends under the action of the electric regulater, and at the same time withdraws the cord 1) from the drum P. \Vhen the carbons l and 3 are consumed, the projection c of the feeding rod A strikes the pawl S and liberates the pinion Q, and the spring R instantly causes the pinion Q to make a revolution. This action causes the spur wheel 0 of the drum P to be rotated and winds upon the drum the cord 2) and thereby lifts the feeding rod A and the carbon holders l3. \Vhen the pinion Q rotates a full revolution, the gap q formed by the missing teeth is once more brought into the position shown in Fig. 3 and retained there by the pint engaging with the springpawl T and the feeding red A and carbon holders are once more in position to be fed downward. During their upward movement, however, the parts A and 13 cause the lever of frame L to be moved upward pulling upon the rod 70 and thereby tripping the latch K. This permits the lower carbon holder J to be moved into position so that its carbon a is brought directly under carbon 2. Instantly the red A feeds downward, and the drum P being free to rotate causes the lamp to continue to operate with the second pair of carbons in operative position.

It is quite evident that a variety of mechanical devices may be employed for lifting the red A and carbon holders B after once having been lowered, and also various devices may be employed inlieu of the particular devices shown for bringing the lower carbon holder of the second pair of carbons into alignment with its upper carbon, and I therefore do not confine myself to the details of construction herein set out. It is also evident that in place of making the lower carbon holder J move in fixed guides, it may be pivoted as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2 and thus swing into position. Any one skilled in the art will perceive numerous mechanical devices adapted to carry out the principles of the invention without in the least departing from the essence of the improvements.

\Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an arc lamp, the combination of a feeding rod carrying at the lower part two carbon holders, an electric regulator for feeding the said feeding rod, means for lifting the said feeding rod and its holders after the same have been once fully lowered, a carbon holder for each of the lower carbons, an automatic device for bringing the lower carbon holder of the second pair of carbons into alignment with its upper carbon holder after the feeding rod has been lifted upon the consumption of the first pair of carbons.

2. In an arc lamp, the combination of a feeding rod carrying at the lower part two carbon holders, an electric regulator for feeding the said feeding rod, means for lifting the said feeding rod and its holders afterthe same has been once fully lowered, an automatic trip controlled by the feeding rod for liberating the lifting device when the feeding rod is fully lowered, a carbon holder for each of thelower carbons, an automatic device operated directly or indirectly by the movement of the said feeding rod for bringing the lower carbon holder of the second pair of carbons into alignment with its upper carbon holder after the feeding rod has been lifted upon the consumption of the first pair of carbons.

3. In an arc lamp, the combination of a feeding rod provided with two carbon holders, an electric regulator for feeding the feeding rod, lifting devices for lifting the feeding rod and its holders after the same has become fully lowered, a trip for controlling the lifting devices operated by the downward movement of the feeding rod, carbon holders for the lower carbons, means to move the lower carbon holder of the second pair of carbons into alignment with its corresponding upper car bon holder, and automatic trip devices for controlling the movement of the second carbon holder operated by the upward movement of the feeding rod.

4. In an arc lamp, the combination of a pair of vertically movable carbon holders, a single electric regulator to feed said carbon holders, a second pair of carbon holders adapted to operate in connection with the first mentioned pair of carbon holders, means controlled by the regulator for shifting the carbon holders of the two pairs relatively so as to bring the second pair of carbon holders into operative position after the function of the carbon holders of the first pair has been performed, whereby one pair of carbons is consumed and then a second pair of carbons is brought into position to maintain an are.

5. In an arc lamp, the combination of two sets of carbon holders each set comprising one carbon holder of each of two pairs of carbon holders, a single electric regulator to move the two sets relatively toward each other, means controlled by the regulator for shifting one or more of the carbon holders of one set after the carbon holders of one pair of carbon holders have been brought into closest position, whereby the second pair of carbon holders of the two pairs of carbon holders may bring other carbons into operative position to maintain the are after the first pair of carbons has been consumed.

6. In an arc lamp, the combination of two carbon holders to support one of each pair of carbons, a vertically movable feeding rod provided with two carbon holders arranged at different distances apart than the first men tioned carbon holders, electrically actuated feeding devices for feeding the feeding rod, power devices for raising the movable feeding rod and its holders after the same have been fully lowered, and means to change the position of one of the first mentioned carbon holders whereby a second pair of carbons shall be brought into line after the first pair of carbons has been consumed.

7. In an arc lamp, the combination of two carbon holders to support one of each pair of carbons, a vertically movable feeding rod provided with two carbon holders arranged at different distances apart than the first mentioned carbon holders, electrically actuated feeding devices for feeding the feeding rod, power devices for raising the movable feeding rod and its holders after the same have been fully lowered, mechanical devices for moving one of the first mentioned carbon holders laterally when the feeding rod is raised, an automatic device for throwing the power devices into action, and means to change the position of one of the first mentioned carbon holders, whereby a second pair of carbons shall be brought into operative position after the first pair of carbons has been consumed.

8. In an electric lamp, the combination of two vertically movable carbon holders, two stationary carbon holders adapted to be brought successively under the respective vertically movable carbon holders, electrically actuated feeding mechanism to feed the vertically movable carbon holders toward the stationary carbon holders, power devices for raising the vertically movable carbon holders after being fully lowered, mechanical devices for moving one of the stationary carbon holders laterally, an automatic trip device for throwing the power devices into action after the vertically movable carbon holders have been fully lowered, and means for disengaging the power devices from the vertically movable carbon holders after they have been fully raised.

9. In an electric lamp, the combination of a vertically movable feeding rod and two holders carried thereby, two carbon holders independent of the rod and arranged at a distance apart different from that of the two vertically movable carbon holders, feeding devices for feeding the vertically movable feeding rod to compensate for the consumption of the carbons, power devices for raising the feeding rod, alocking device for holding the power devices out of action until the rod is fully lowered, a trip for releasing the rod from the power devices after being fully raised whereby it is free to be fed downward a second time by the regulator or feeding device, and automatic devices for shifting the independent carbon holders relatively to the vertically movable carbon holders whereby two sets of carbons carried by the holders are successively consumed under the action of a single regulator or feeding device.

10. In an electric lamp, the combination of two independent carbon holder supports each of which is provided with two carbon holders but arranged at diiferent distances apart, electrically controlled feeding devices for causing, a relative movement between the carbon holder supports to maintain the arc during the consumption of the carbons, mechanical devices for automatically shifting the relative position of the carbon holders or their supports which are unaffected by the electrically controlled feeding devices, whereby after the consumption of one pair of carbons the lamp is reset and the consumption of the second pair of carbons takes place.

11. In an arc lamp, the combination of two movable carbon holders, two stationary carhereunto set my hand.

R. M. HUNTER. Witnesses:

ERNEST HOWARD HUNTER, O. M. DIETTERICH. 

